Lentils curry favor in stew

Lentils are good for you--and taste especially good in this easy-to make meatless stew adapted from "Come for Dinner: Memorable Meals to Share with Friends," by the late Leslie Revsin.

Her recipe uses the more delicate (and harder to find) French lentils sold in specialty markets, but we had success using regular supermarket lentils--they may take a bit longer to cook. The stew employs curry powder to good use, and another super-healthful food, bulgur wheat, which adds flavor while thickening the dish.

Lentil stew

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Yield: 6 servings

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 rib celery, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 cup each: canned diced tomatoes, lentils

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup bulgur wheat

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a stockpot; stir in the onions, celery and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the curry powder; cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes. Increase heat to high; cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in the lentils.

2. Add the broth and water; heat to a simmer. Add the bay leaf; partially cover the pot. Simmer until the lentils are almost tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in the bulgur; simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender and the bulgur is tender-firm, about 10 minutes. (If the stew becomes too thick, add additional broth or water as desired.) Season with salt and pepper.

3. Stir in the lemon juice; remove bay leaf. Divide stew among serving bowls; swirl a tablespoon of the sour cream over the top of each bowl; sprinkle with green onions.